


Long Road Home

by fizzy_absinthe



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, No Smut, Polyamory, Polygrumps, Pre-Relationship, Romance, recluse Arin, some Dan whump, vagabond Dan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 14:18:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12191559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fizzy_absinthe/pseuds/fizzy_absinthe
Summary: Not gonna lie. I wrote most of this while in a state of mild panic about starting my new job.Anyway, Arin and Suzy have a comfy little life up in the mountains. They look forward to a traveling musician, Dan Avidan, coming into town. The three of them are friends, as close as they can be when one of them comes and goes. While Arin and Suzy could profess their love for Dan, they both know they can't keep him forever.





	Long Road Home

If there's one thing Arin knows for sure, it's that living this far up in the mountains has a lot of repercussions that he hadn't really considered nearly seven years ago when he and Suzy moved here.

He had been fresh off the Youtube animator bubble bursting, and switched his focus into voice acting with a side hobby of making miniatures. Surprisingly, selling the little figures turned into quite a lucrative side business, and alongside that and Suzy's portraiture skills and Etsy revenue, they had no problem getting a little house up in the mountains of Tennessee. He had been so excited to finally get away from the noise and claustrophobia of the big city, and Suzy was so excited to have a backyard with huge oak trees and space for a garden, the two of them didn't really consider the downside of such a location. Of course they got a little stir crazy, but there's a big town at the base of the mountain called Gatlinburg that they'll go spend a weekend in if they need to reconnect with the modern world. The road is pretty harrowing up here, with huge drops on either side and barely enough room to accommodate two cars, but it's just something they've gotten used to.

It's the winters that really put a damper on the whole experience. Every year Arin and Suzy think they've gathered enough firewood, enough food, and enough toilet paper to get them through the inevitable first blizzard. But two or three days after there's three feet of snow on the ground, they realize they only have stale bread and expired peanut butter, half a roll of TP, and one log left in the fireplace with a whole pile sitting outside, sopping wet. It never fails. So Arin will chop some more wood, while Suzy drives into town with the snow tires on their Jeep. It always makes Arin insanely nervous, letting her go into town alone while these winding mountain roads are covered in snow and ice. She always waves these fears off, at this point she knows each and every bend in the road and can maneuver through them like a pro. But he's still going to worry, only just able to expend that nervous energy by chopping up firewood and remembering to put it in the shed this time.

Winter is fast approaching, with the leaves on the oak trees all on the ground, the various evergreens the only splash of color against the dull sky. Arin and Suzy are going to make one more run into town to get stocked up before the first big storm can hit; it's deceptively mild right now, but Arin knows better at this point. It'll come, and it'll come hard. Last year, plenty of newcomers to the area got stuck in snow on frantic grocery runs, only coming back with smashed bread and some bruised fruit. Arin is always more than happy to dig someone out of the snow, as he's needed it a few times. But he does wish people coming through the mountains in the winter knew about the weather so they wouldn't get stuck in the first place.

It takes a solid hour to get into town with the roads clear, but he and Suzy are used to the long drive. It's much more enjoyable in the spring, when the trees are full of leaves and the fields are full of grazing cattle. There's always random sprays of wildflowers along the roadside, and Suzy has gotten so adept at spotting butterflies that she can identify them as they drive by.

"I hope they still have some apples left," Suzy muses as she looks over their grocery list, just as uninterested in the bleak winter landscape as Arin.

"I'm sure they'll have some. They might be a bit banged up, though," Arin replies.

"That's fine with me. I want to make some apple butter!"

Arin glances eagerly at his wife. "Apple butter? That sounds delicious."

"I had some at Holly's the other day," Suzy says. Holly and her husband Ross are good friends of theirs, living just outside of Gatlinburg. "She gave me the recipe and I wanna try and make some."

Arin grins, looking forward to trying it. While he longs for spring, and the winters up here can be kind of intense, he loves the life he's built here. He has his wife, he has his friends, he has his solitude. He can fly out for voice acting work, or do it from home if that's available. There's going to be a downside to where he lives no matter where he goes, but the benefits definitely outweigh the negatives in this situation.

After awhile, they make it to their usual Whole Foods store in Gatlinburg. Arin takes a moment to stretch as he gets out of the car, not really looking forward to doing grocery shopping. Living so far outside of modern society means that they have to make big runs every month, with a few trips to smaller convenience stores in between. They usually end up with two or three carts full of stuff, and spending well over two hundred dollars.

As they walk up, though, his mood lifts considerably when he hears the sound of a guitar. He nudges Suzy, who looks just as excited.

One of the perks about coming into town is the occasional sighting of their friend, Dan. He comes and goes, living on the road, usually hitchhiking to get around and busking to make money. Arin has known him for about five years now, and always looks forward to seeing him in the summer. It is a little odd to see him here this late in the season; he tries to get out to the west coast during the winter, since the weather is much more mild out there.

As they walk up, Dan is playing a cover of In Your Eyes, making sure to lock eyes with anyone who walks by, hoping to charm a few dollars out of them. Arin notices that it's working quite well as a young man walks by, ducking his face shyly into his scarf as he drops a couple bills in Dan's open guitar case. Dan gives him a nod and a wink, never missing a beat, and Arin can't deny the flutter in his gut at seeing how easily Dan can win someone over. The way he unwittingly won over Arin all those years ago.

Dan notices Arin and Suzy walking up and lights up like a Christmas tree, scrambling to get his guitar put up. Suzy closes the distance by running over, just catching Dan in a big hug as he stands up; he laughs joyously as he wraps his arms around her, spinning her around. Arin walks up much more calmly, unable to hide his smile at the lovely scene.

"I'm so happy to see you, Dan!" Suzy says as he sets her back on her feet. "I was worried you wouldn't show up this year."

Dan runs his hand through his hair, which has gotten quite long. He glances at Arin, then down at his feet. "Yeah, I ran into some trouble in Iowa. Long story. By the time I got out of there, it was already October, so it was kind of too late to turn back... Hey, Arin."

"Hey," Arin says warmly. "Got a few minutes? Suzy and I are grocery shopping, and we could use an extra cart-pusher. And you can tell us all the shenanigans you've gotten up to."

"Sure," Dan says, hitching his guitar up on his shoulder. "It'll be nice to get out of the cold, my hands are starting to hurt."

Suzy coos over him as they walk in, taking his hand and looking over it, running her fingertips lightly over his callouses. "Why don't you have any gloves? Didn't I give you a pair?"

Arin starts wrangling carts, pulling three out, while Dan laughs nervously. "I do! I still have them. They're back at the motel."

"You know you can stay with us, right?" Arin says as he takes the lead of their little cart caravan, speaking over his shoulder while Suzy walks alongside him.

Dan just waves his hand. "I know it. I can't make money up there, unless there's a bear that likes acoustic 80s covers."

"There could be," Suzy says. "I saw a fox mama the other day, and Holly says she has a couple owls in her walnut trees. I bet they'd bring you some acorns."

Dan laughs, a beautiful little giggle that makes Arin shiver. "As nice as that sounds, motels don't accept tree nuts for a room."

Arin could point out that Dan wouldn't need to worry about paying for a room if he stayed with them, but he knows that Dan will always turn them down. Dan is a nomad at heart, as much as he is a musician; he doesn't want or need a lot of material possessions. He finds happiness from seeing new places, having new experiences, and playing music. While not everyone appreciates buskers, Dan has something of a reputation in Gatlinburg. It is a tourist city, after all, and when all the tourists pile in for summer vacation trips, Dan is usually seen flitting around town, finding all the hot spots. He adds to the charm, and a few local businesses even encourage him. A candy store on the main road put a little garden bench outside once he started coming around, taking note of how people would stop to listen to him sing and get enticed to go in by also watching the guys inside pull taffy.

While Arin and Suzy mostly stick to their list, Arin can't resist sneaking in a few things for Dan. Dan himself is told to grab things by Suzy. It's while he's getting five cans of corn off the top shelf for her that he catches Arin putting some apple sauce in the child seat of his car, alongside some Earl Grey tea, a can of peaches, some microwavable soup, and a box of club crackers. Arin could be embarrassed at being caught, but he won't allow it.

In all the years that he and Suzy have known Dan, the two of them have always talked about inviting Dan not only into their home, but into their relationship. Dan often talks about staying with various people of various genders, but always getting the realization that the other party expects him to leave. Arin can see the heartbreak buried deep down when Dan talks about his past lovers, and although Dan craves the freedom to wander, he clearly also wants to feel truly loved. He needs affection, something that he isn't likely to find on the road. At least, not for more than a few nights.

Every time Suzy brings it up, though, Arin has to be the one to bring them both back to reality. Though Dan is a delight, and they both harbor strong feelings for him, he can't ignore Dan's nature. Not only does Dan need to be untethered, but he also would never want to feel like he was overstaying his welcome. After so long of wandering, and only having enough to get by, it would be hard for him to not feel like a nuisance and a bum. Every year Suzy makes him a new pair of gloves or a scarf, or gets him replacement strings, while Arin buys him new clothes and shoes. They almost have to force these things on Dan, who will refuse them endlessly. Suzy will use the excuse that they're for his birthday, or Christmas, or Hanukkah, or whatever else. Dan will only accept them once Suzy starts to look very sad at his rejections, and Arin points out the broken strings on his guitar and the holes in his shoes.

This year finds Dan in somewhat better shape in these departments; Arin has noticed that he's wearing a pair of steel-toe boots. While they'll certainly take much longer to wear thin, he does know that Dan prefers a certain kind of sneakers, as just about everything else makes his legs hurt. That, and, with winter coming, Arin hopes Dan has some other kind of shoes to wear, as the metal in the toe of the boots will sap the warmth from his feet. Plenty of outdoor construction workers have come down with frostbite from not wearing decent socks with their steel toe boots.

"So Dan," Suzy says as they move on to the next aisle, "What kind of adventures have you gotten up to this year?"

Dan perks up immediately at the chance to tell a good story. "Oh, there's been a few. There was the time I pitched my tent in an empty field, out in the middle of nowhere. I had no idea what day it was, and I had just been walking for, like, days on end. So I needed a break."

Arin can imagine it as he puts some turkey jerky in Dan's pile. A lonely little blue tent, barely hidden by tall grass, a perfect view of the stars. "I hope you weren't in some farmer's field, they'd chase you out of there with a shotgun."

"Oh, I am all too familiar," Dan says cheerfully. "I'm pretty sure it was just a vacant field; the only sign of humanity was a transmission tower. I camped under that. Anyway, I had planned on staying for a day or two, hoping for some rain so I could collect water. There was a road nearby, with an even bigger open field on the other side. I stayed out of that because was sure it was someone's farmland. But, turns out it wasn't. Because as I was trying to get to sleep one night, there was this loud BOOM."

Suzy, who is always fully invested in Dan's stories, stares wide-eyed up at him. "What happened?"

"It was the Fourth of July," Dan says with a laugh. "They were setting off fireworks for the nearby town in that field. I thought it was the apocalypse!"

They continue shopping while Dan takes direction from Arin and Suzy on what to grab from the shelves, continuing to tell them about his travels. He mentions a county fair he worked at for a little bit in August, where he ran one of those rigged games and got fired for just giving out the stuffed toys. "I couldn't stand seeing those sad kids," Dan says. "The toys aren't even that expensive, I couldn't keep taking their money like that."

"You're so sweet, Dan," Suzy says. "Can you get that box of macaroni for me? Off the top shelf?"

Dan reaches up to get the last big box of macaroni noodles, having to really stretch to reach it. His thin tshirt rides up, revealing his slightly concave stomach. Arin can't tear his eyes away, not out of arousal at the hint of skin, but out of horror at how thin Dan is. He has always been skinny, but he seems to have shaved off a few pounds since last year. He didn't really have much to lose to begin with. Arin shoves the groceries around in the child seat, making more room for stuff for Dan.

They make their way to the other end of the store, getting toiletries and cat food. Arin pulls Dan aside while Suzy goes to the pet aisle. "Listen. I know you don't like to accept help, but I would rather just be open with you, I'm buying you some food and shit. What kind of shampoo do you use?"

Dan looks away, almost ashamed. "You don't have to do that, man, I can make do on my own."

"I know you can," Arin says gently, laying his hand on Dan's shoulder. His skin crawls when he can feel Dan's collar bone. "But you're our friend, and friends do nice stuff for each other. If you don't tell me what kind you want, I'm buying you the most flowery smelling shampoo I can find."

Dan sighs, looking up at the ceiling. Arin is shocked to see Dan's eyes shining with unshed tears; Dan has always appeared to have great control over his emotions, and he's never seen him cry or get mad. But when Dan looks back at Arin, he has his easy smile back. He is clearly very moved, an unspoken thanks in his expression. "You know, anything is better than what they have at the motel. Even if it smells like flowers."

Arin grins, giving Dan a gentle pat on the arm. "How about Old Spice? That's a nice manly scent."

Dan just nods, so Arin gets a bottle of Old Spice shampoo, some body wash, and a couple sticks of deodorant. He's about to ask Dan what razor he would prefer, but Dan just shakes his head. "Don't even. Razors are expensive."

"You are pretty handsome with that scruffy beard," Arin says, getting a can of shaving cream. "But razors aren't that expensive, and I'd rather you not cut your face up with a rusty Bic."

"I will have you know," Dan says defiantly, his tone at odds with the smile on his face, "That I have been using a straight razor that I got in Kentucky a couple years ago. It's stainless steel and it doubles as a self-defense weapon."

Arin doesn't want to think about Dan having to defend himself while he's out there in the big open plains, in some backwater town with truckers that don't look too kindly on people like him. "How'd you get that?"

Given the opportunity to tell another story puts Dan at ease again. "Oh, I bought it. I promise, I wouldn't steal unless I had to."

"I know you wouldn't," Arin says as he and Dan continue walking, and Arin grabs some tampons for Suzy.

"I had some extra money after playing at some coffee shop for a few days. It must've been a college town, there were a lot of trust fund kids around. But on my way out of town there was a big flea market, called Farmer's Pike, and I bought it there. Along with some cotton candy."

"Oooh," Arin breathes. "I haven't had cotton candy in ages."

"Dude, it was so good. I ate the whole bag that day and got so barfy, but it was worth it."

They make their way to the checkouts, ignoring the groans of other customers as their train of three carts packed to the gills gets in line. Suzy turns to Dan while they wait. "Do you wanna come up to our place for dinner tonight? We're making lasagna!"

Dan looks tempted, and Arin hopes he'll give in this once. Suzy invites him to their place almost every time they see him, and he's only accepted a handful of times. He stands there, looking down at the cart he helped load up, biting his lip. "I dunno, I want to get in some time on the guitar before the sun goes down. And I did already pay for three nights at the motel."

"We can pay you back for that," Suzy says eagerly, but this is clearly not the right thing to say as a shadow seems to pass over Dan. His hair falls over his face and he looks resolutely at the floor, holding the strap of his guitar case in a tight grip.

Arin cuts in, trying to do damage control. "It's alright if you don't want to, Dan. We'll save you some leftovers if you don't want to come up."

Suzy, realizing she said the wrong thing, jumps for this avenue eagerly. "Yeah, what motel are you staying at? I'll bring some leftovers down tomorrow, and I have a scarf for you! Holly taught me how to knit."

Dan sighs, finally looking up. "I'm at the Motel 6 on Ownby Street. Room seven."

"Awesome," Arin says. "We'll come visit you tomorrow."

\--------------------

Dan walks into his motel room, trying to ignore the glares from the clerk. He sets three plastic bags on the counter of the kitchenette, full of stuff Arin and Suzy bought for him.

He hates taking things from people. He can't separate taking from receiving a gift; it all makes him feel like a bum. Like the guy he was when he dropped out of college, running away from his parents' disappointment and sleeping on couches, hiding in a haze of drugs. He'd ask for money to get food, he'd ask for rides to and from places, eventually having to leave when things got too hairy. Usually harder drugs like meth or heroine would slowly start making the rounds, and he'd hightail it out of there.

His outgoing disposition makes it easy for him to make new friends, but his naivete gets him into trouble. He's been camped out on a couch more than once and been awakened by the cops knocking at the door; he can only count himself extremely lucky that, in those early days before he learned when to bail, he found a window to climb out of and an alley to disappear in while the cops busted the place. It was after one insanely close call that he swore off pot, not wanting to be a bigger failure by getting locked up.

Arin and Suzy are two people that he looks forward to seeing every year. While he's away, working odd jobs in Montana or Wyoming or Nevada, he'll wonder how they're doing. He'll walk along the beach in California, before the sun comes up, and he'll wonder how much snow they're getting, if they're getting by alright. And when he eventually blows back into Gatlinburg, he'll set up shop in a spot where he knows he'll see them eventually, even if it means not getting to all the tourist-heavy places. It costs him a bit, but it's worth it for him.

They ground him. He doesn't have a home, and he doesn't need one. He doesn't want to put down roots, he doesn't want to settle down just yet, even though he's well into his thirties. But Arin and Suzy are as close to 'home' as he's had since he left for college.

Going through the things Arin and Suzy bought for him, he sets the soup, the tea, and the canned peaches and the jerky by the microwave, while putting the shampoo and such on the bed so he can take a shower later. There's also some crackers, a jar of apple sauce, some peanut butter, a half loaf of bread, a couple apples, and some string cheese. He smiles fondly, even though their generosity makes him a bit uncomfortable. He just can't help but feel like he doesn't deserve such kindness.

It's really unfortunate that he got held up this year, because now he's stuck in the mountains with winter looming over him. It's already late November, and it would be a huge gamble to try and set out for the south, where the weather will be milder. This side of the mountains will get the damp cold from Canada and the lakes, so he's hoping he can get enough money saved up to keep a room until spring.

The idea of being stuck here when the snow comes makes him itchy. He does love it here, it's very picturesque and the people are very friendly for the most part. But he hates the idea of not being able to pack up and leave whenever the mood strikes him. Any number of things could happen, but he would have to stick it out until March or April.

Just as he's about to get ready for a shower, there's a loud knock at the door. Memories of cops banging on the door flash through his mind, even though he has no reason to be nervous. He approaches the door apprehensively, opening it without undoing the chain lock.

On the other side is the proprietor of the motel, a big man named Steve with the same off-white tank top every time Dan has seen him. He has a mean face, always red from long hours working in the sun as a younger man in construction or something, and reeking of beer. There's a blob of dried mustard in his scraggly beard that Dan cannot take his eyes off of. "Yes?" he says.

Steve leans against the door frame with his forearm, trying to invade as much of Dan's space as he can with the door open two inches. "You owe me for tonight, boy."

Dan frowns. "I paid for three nights."

"You did, three nights ago. If you want to stay here another day, you're gonna need to pay for it. This ain't a charity, kid."

Dan does some quick, panicked math in his head, sure that he shouldn't have to pay up until tomorrow night. He had been banking on having another day to get some money together, but got sidetracked by Arin and Suzy. "Hang on, I've got some money in here, let me count it."

Dan shuts the door in Steve's face, but Steve opens it again, easily breaking the chain lock, which hadn't been properly anchored in the wall to begin with. He stands there while Dan gets into his guitar case, frantically counting bills. "It's a hundred for a night," he grunts.

Dan looks up, his heart skipping a beat. "What? I thought it was sixty!"

Steve shrugs. "We got a lotta people coming in this weekend, there's a big Thanksgiving Day parade. Rooms are gonna be going pretty damn quick."

Dan ducks back into the guitar case, feeling nauseous. He barely has forty dollars in bills, and from the look of it, no more than ten in change. He stands upright again, gripping the money in shaking hands. "Alright, well. I have fifty here, I can get fifty more tomorrow, first thing."

Steve shakes his head, a dangerous glint in his beady little eyes. "A hundred bucks or you're out."

"Wait, wait," Dan pleads. "Hang on. I might have some in here..." He gets into his bag, pulling everything out and digging in all the pockets. He hopes he has some money stashed away that he forgot about, which has happened before. It's not impossible, it could be there.

Steve grinds out a loud sigh. "Listen, if you ain't got it, you ain't got it. I got a couple out here that has the money, so you need to pack up."

"No, wait," Dan says, feeling desperate. He doesn't have anything of value, not really, except his guitar. But he can't give that away, especially not to someone like this. "I could do some work, whatever you need done."

"Don't need anything done," Steve says as he scratches his bulging gut.

Dan swears under his breath. "Can you check the books, then? I'm almost positive I paid for tonight already."

Clearly having enough, Steve stomps over and grabs a fistful of Dan's hair. Dan cries out as Steve tosses him easily against the wall. "If you ain't got a hundred bucks, pack up your shit and get out. I'm gonna come back in ten minutes, and if you ain't gone, you're gonna have a room at the hospital, got me? You fuckin' lazy piece of shit, why don't you go get a damn job? Then you wouldn't be a hassle to hard-workin' folks like me."

Steve heads out, slamming the door behind him, leaving Dan in a heap on the floor. Dan sits there in shock, the back of his head hurting quite a bit from hitting the wall, before he jumps up and starts collecting his stuff. He tries to hold back tears as he packs up the stuff Arin and Suzy bought for him; he had really been looking forward to a long, hot shower and a decent meal. But it looks like it's not meant to be.

He heads out with his bag on one shoulder, his guitar on the other, hurrying past Steve at the desk. He emerges into the brisk November night, the cold air stealing away his breath, but he doesn't stop. He doesn't want to figure out where he's going to sleep tonight, how he's going to find a place if everywhere has jacked up their prices for this Thanksgiving Day thing. He hadn't even been aware that it was this close to Thanksgiving.

The thought of getting ahold of Arin and Suzy passes his mind as he walks through town, seeking any place he can hide from cops that won't look too kindly on him sleeping in public. But they're likely already home by now, and they have quite a drive. He couldn't possibly bother them at this hour; it's nearly ten at night.

He finds an alley with a dumpster by a small restaurant and sets up shop there, dropping his bags and shuffling up against the brick wall, hiding behind the dumpster. The restaurant is already closed for the night, so it's unlikely there will be anyone around to bother him until morning.

He hugs his knees, trying to hold back a shiver, letting himself give in and cry quietly. He watches with great dispair as a few snowflakes start to drift down from the sky; he has to think of something, and fast.

\--------------------

Arin wakes up to the news reporting the snowstorm as it blows in. They had expected it, but it did show up a bit early. The worst of it won't come along until a day or two from now, but as it is he's glad he and Suzy already got to the store, and that he remembered to chop wood yesterday. Though it wouldn't hurt to have some more ready, and he'd rather have the wood chopped now before he has to dig his way out the front door.

Suzy has left a note on the fridge, stating that she went to visit Holly and Ross to make sure they're set up for the storm, and she'll be back later. As Arin walks out, bundled up in a thick coat over coveralls, he takes note of the relatively dry snow blowing over the road. As long as Suzy gets back by nightfall, the roads shouldn't be too treacherous.

He does like chopping wood. It's easy, and it's mindless work. He could easily burn up several hours chopping firewood. His mind drifts as he gets the ax out, placing a log on a stump and splitting it. He hopes Dan is alright; they did get him plenty of food, and he did say he was staying at a motel. They promised to bring him leftovers today, but that'll depend on the weather. Arin really doesn't want to get all the way down the mountain just to come back up and find the roads iced over. He did already get the snow tires put on, but as much as he wants to see Dan, he can't risk it.

The wind cuts through the trees, catching Arin of guard as snow hits his face. After going at it for about an hour or two, and he could use a break. He sinks the ax head into the stump for now, and turns to head inside. But he stops when he hears a strange noise mingled in with the howling wind.

He is no stranger to bears or other predators, but they'll all be hunkered down for the storm, too. Standing on his porch, with one hand on the door knob, ready to bolt inside if it turns out to be a hungry mountain lion, Arin squints into the haze of falling snow blurring the spaces between trees. He can see something, some shape stumbling around, but it's hard to tell what it is. Too tall to be a mountain lion, at least. Might be a bear, if it's walking on its hind legs.

Just as Arin is considering watching this from inside, where he can't be clawed to death, the shape stumbles onto the road and falls. Out of the cloud of snow, it's clearly a person. Arin's fear switches gear immediately as he runs over.

As he approaches, his fear for this person's health increases exponentially as he recognizes the fluffy, curly hair and the beaten up guitar case. Arin gives up the brisk pace for an outright sprint, dropping down to the cold ground where Dan fell.

"Danny?" Arin says, shocked at seeing him all the way up here. He clearly walked up, which is a horrifying thought, as the temperature last night dove into the negatives with the wind chill, and Dan's threadbare jacket is hardly suited for early spring, much less blizzard weather. Arin carefully gives him a shake, trying to get a response out of him. "Dan, what are you doing up here? Dan? ...Danny?"

Dan doesn't respond. His skin is pale, his bare hands are red and starting to look painfully swollen; early signs of frostbite. Arin cannot fathom why Dan would hike all the way up the mountain like this, probably hitchhiking when he could but likely not finding many takers with the storm heading in. Dan knows their phone number, he could've called. And why would he leave the motel? He said he had already paid for three nights. Unless something happened.

Letting it go for now, because it isn't as important as getting Dan inside, Arin carefully but quickly gets Dan's bag and guitar case off his shoulders and sets them aside in the snow. He hopes the polyester case will keep the guitar dry. After that, he gets out of his coat and tucks it around Dan and lifts him into his arms, trying to ignore how his worry grows as Dan lays limp in his grip.

After gathering Dan up, Arin heads inside, his mind stalling as he runs entirely on instinct. Dan is so cold, so unresponsive, and Arin has no idea what to do. He could call 911, but with the weather getting worse by the minute it's unlikely they'll make it up the mountain in enough time. Arin knows frostbite just as well as he knows sprained ankles from hiking and heat exhaustion in the summer. It's hideously dangerous, it's terrifying, and he just hopes he can remember the first aid for this situation.

He gets Dan inside, laying him as gently as possible on the couch, pulling the coat tighter around him before going to the hall closet to grab some blankets. Once he comes back with a pile of blankets, Dan is shivering violently, a pained look on his face. Arin starts by draping a thick quilt over Dan, watching him for any further signs of pain. He kneels next to the couch and flitting his fingers over Dan's shaking body, unsure of what he should do. "Dan, can you hear me?"

Dan moans, low and labored, ending in a weak whimper. It makes Arin feel like someone knocked the air right out of his lungs. Desperate for some kind of action he can take, Arin wraps Dan up in another blanket before moving to get his boots off. If his hands are already showing signs of frostbite, he is not looking forward to seeing the state of his feet.

Just as Arin had suspected, and to his great dismay, Dan's feet are blistered and red and look much worse than his hands. The steel in the toe of the boots would've sapped away any warmth in his feet, and factoring in the longer circulation time and the horrible wind chill last night, Arin wonders how Dan could walk at all. He tosses the boots aside, in the vague direction of the fireplace so he can set them up to dry.

There's not much else he can do, or at least not much he can think to do. Dan is still shivering, he's still whining in pain, muttering feebly. Arin can't understand what he's trying to say. Instead, he gets his phone out and fires off a few quick texts to Suzy, rife with mistakes and spelling errors, while he uses his other hand to smooth back Dan's unruly hair. He can only hope it provides some level of comfort.

Suzy gets back with him, telling him in much clearer language that she's on her way back, and that Arin has pretty much already done all he can, so he can only sit there and wait. He looks down at Dan, who is squirming a little bit as he comes around. Arin tries his best to hold him still. "Relax," he says in a soothing voice, though he doesn't even know if Dan can hear him. "You're alright, Dan. You're gonna be okay."

Dan's eyes flutter open, and he looks around listlessly until he lands on Arin. He looks confused, and tries to say something, but the words die in his throat as shivers tear through him. Arin can hardly stand seeing him like this; Dan has been as constant as the changing seasons, as steady and as hardy as the evergreen trees in Arin's backyard. But now, he looks scared, and he's so cold, and he keeps wincing in pain and letting out little cries when he moves wrong, and Arin just wishes he and Suzy had insisted he come home with them when they saw him yesterday.

"I could've stopped this from happening," Arin says, his voice cracking as he trails his fingertips along Dan's brow.

Dan stirs, turning feverishly into Arin's touch. "Arin..."

Hearing this makes Arin feel even worse somehow. His affection for Dan notwithstanding, seeing him in such a state makes him feel so powerless. He can only hope that Suzy will get here soon; she knows what to do in these situations.

Dan wiggles around a bit, managing to get a hand free and reaching out, bumping against Arin's chest. Arin carefully takes his hand in both of his own, blowing warm breaths over Dan's frozen skin. Dan calms down quite a bit at the contact, his eyes closing as he falls into fitful sleep.

\--------------------

Dan isn't sure where he is, but he's grateful that it's warm, at least. The last thing he can clearly remember is deciding to try and hitchhike up to Arin and Suzy's place, not having the courage to call them. If he had known that there was a storm coming in and almost everyone had already hunkered down, and he would be at the mercy of a few brave truckers who weren't even going up the mountain, he would've swallowed his pride and called them.

All he can remember from walking up the mountain road is the intense cold and the biting wind. While he had been worried about local wildlife, he was more afraid of the elements. He doesn't remember actually making it to Arin and Suzy's place, and he only has a few hazy memories after that.

Laying under too many blankets with a kind of tingling pain running through his hands and feet. Especially his feet. His feet still hurt, like he had been walking on white-hot steel. At the moment, as he comes around, he feels drained and weighed down, like he had just gotten over a very bad case of the flu. But he does remember earlier, feeling like his bones were rattling around under his skin, and he felt too hot and too cold at the same time. He remembers someone smoothing back his hair, saying something in a calm tone, while something warm was tipped into his mouth. Chicken broth, he recalls. Too salty.

He tries to sit up, but his entire midsection protests this motion immediately and he gives up with a grunt. From his prone position on the couch, he can tell he's in Arin and Suzy's living room; he recognizes the eaves of the ceiling, the fireplace, the mirrors hanging on the wall. Suzy loves mirrors. And the decor just screams Suzy; dark but warm and welcoming. Like the kind of home Martha Stewart would design if she were a Goth.

There's some commotion coming from the kitchen, and Dan watches placidly as Suzy comes in, wearing her pajamas and carrying a mug. As she approaches, she sees Dan looking up at her. She sits on the coffee table by the couch, smiling down at him. "There you are, welcome back."

"Hey," Dan says hoarsely.

"How are you feeling?"

Dan shifts around, hoping to get his hands free from the blankets, but not quite able to find the strength. "I feel... tired. My feet hurt. What happened?"

Suzy doesn't hesitate in holding the mug up to his lips, putting her other hand at the back of his head, and he wishes he could duck away. He isn't used to such intimacy. "I was kind of hoping you could tell me. According to Arin, you just showed up and passed out on the road, while he was chopping firewood."

Dan swallows a mouthful of weak tea, thankful for the warmth it provides on the way down. "Oh," he says simply. Then, spurred only by a moment of panic, he springs forward into a full sitting position. "My bag, my guitar-" But he's cut off as pain slices through his abdomen.

Suzy, for her dainty stature, manages to get him back into a prone position, easing him back onto the pillows. "Easy, easy. Don't worry, your stuff is fine. Arin brought it in before the snow started piling up. Just relax, alright? You were in pretty bad shape, you're not gonna just spring back from that."

Dan lays there, a little short of breath from the pain, feeling helpless and not enjoying it at all. Suzy doesn't seem to mind taking care of him, though, only eyeing him as though she suspects he's going to try to get up again. "You've been out of it for about two whole days. Arin and I have been really worried, and the roads are still covered in snow, so it's not like we could get you into town to see a doctor. Why didn't you just call us? We would've come back down to get you if you needed a place to stay."

He looks away, trying to shove down the wave of emotion crashing over him. "I don't know... I didn't want to bother you, I guess."

Suzy takes his chin gently in her hand, turning his head toward her so he can't avoid her. There is a great deal of love in her eyes, so much that Dan is speechless. "Dan, you could never be a bother. Arin and I... We care about you, a lot."

He is now very glad for the extra blankets, because he can duck down and hide his face in them while he blushes. Suzy giggles and ruffles his hair, and he peeks up at her. "How can you say that, though? I'm only in town for a few months."

Suzy shrugs. "We still care about you. Distance makes the heart grow fonder, you know."

Dan can sense that this affection goes a bit deeper than just friendship, and he feels like a whole world of possibilities just opened up, metaphorical roads that he's never explored stretching out before him. "I care about you guys, too. I think about you all the time while I'm traveling."

This makes Suzy smile, and she leans down to kiss the top of Dan's head, lingering for a second. "You know you're always welcome here," she says quietly into his curls. "We know that you won't stay forever, but you always have us to come home to, if you want."

She leans back, and offers the rest of the tea to Dan, who takes it even as he tries to process what she just said. Her hand at the nape of his neck, helping him drink the tea even though he could most likely manage on his own, sends an unknown sensation rippling through him. It's been so long since he's felt this, since he's just let someone take care of him. He's only ever taken care of himself, not letting anyone see him in any form of pain or weakness.

Maybe he could stay here for awhile.

\--------------------

It's the best winter any of them have ever had.

Arin forgets to be depressed, glaring at the bleak skies and the weak sunlight. Instead, he and Dan sit in front of the fireplace while Dan plays aimlessly on his guitar. A week after his incident and he still can't really get around on his feet too well, only walking around if he absolutely has to. He spends a lot of his time in here, in front of the fire, with his guitar. Or else playing video games, something that fell to the wayside with his wandering. Suzy took up teaching Dan how to play Overwatch; it isn't going very well, but they're having fun. Arin still wants to hover, to make sure Dan doesn't overexert himself, but Dan is fine and wastes no time in saying so. Late at night, when Arin has Suzy pressed against him, he'll fall asleep wondering what it would be like to have Dan against him, too.

A month later, and Dan is already showing signs of getting the itch to leave, but buries it under eating delicious home-cooked food and spending time with Arin and Suzy, his two favorite people. Things have changed between the three of them; what started with Arin and Suzy fussing over him while he recovered quickly turned into frequent cuddle sessions at all hours of the day. Watching a movie, playing video games, waiting for dinner to be done, all good times for a cuddle. Suzy even makes an extra effort for him and gets a little plastic menorah from a trip into town, putting it next to their Christmas tree. He doesn't even have the heart to tell her that he is Jewish in heritage only.

Suzy, of course, makes the first official move. It's after New Year's, with Dan fully recovered but unable to leave due to the cold weather. She and Arin have Dan between them, with Suzy resting her head in Dan's lap and Arin leaning against Dan's shoulder. They're watching some Seinfeld reruns, when she turns to look up at Dan. He's so ruggedly handsome, but so sweet and charming. She loves Arin very much, she appreciates every facet of his personality, but she loves Dan, too. She loves his calm nature, the way he complements Arin so perfectly. She has never been one to not go after what she wants, so she just asks, right there, while they're all piled up on top of each other in their pajamas.

"Dan, what would you think about being in mine and Arin's relationship?"

Dan looks down at her, as though he is questioning whether he heard her right. He looks to Arin, who is eagerly awaiting an answer. "You mean, like. A three-way type of thing?"

Suzy giggles. "I guess so. You, me, and Arin. One happy relationship."

"i've never dated more than one person at a time," Dan says reverently, as though the possibility never even occurred to him.

Arin winds his arms around Dan's midsection, happy to feel how he's gained weight in the past month with them. "It's okay if you need time to think about it. And if you don't want to, that's okay, too. We'll still be friends."

"Right," Suzy says. "This is still your home, Dan. No matter what."

Suzy and Arin go back to watching Seinfeld while Dan stares wide-eyed into space, his heart hammering, and a smile growing on his face.

\--------------------

Spring comes at last, and Dan is more than ready to head out. He's feeling good, better than he's felt in years. But he needs to get moving or he's going to lose it.

He thought about just leaving in the middle of the night, but that's something the old Dan would've done. He couldn't do that to Arin and Suzy; they effectively saved his life and nursed him back to health, and even let him stay here until it got warmer. And he can't really deny it any longer; he really does care about them both. A lot. Enough that it scares him a little bit. It's the same kind of fear that has him darting away from a clingy lover while on the road, barely leaving so much as his scent on the pillow behind him. But this is different.

They know he's going to leave. They trust him to come back. And they know he'll get ahold of them if he gets into trouble. It's been so long since he's been able to put so much trust in someone else, much less two people. But he finds himself leaving some clothes in the dresser, and a mug in the cabinet, and a toothbrush in the bathroom. Because he knows he'll be back. This is the one place he knows he'll come back to.

He tells Arin and Suzy when he plans on leaving, and they pack up a bunch of shelf-stable food and some supplies, and some money. Dan tries to refuse all of it, trying to back away, overwhelmed, but Suzy gently takes his hand and presses the envelope of cash into it.

"Take it, Dan, please. So we know you're okay. We want you to be okay while you're out there; please just let us take care of you."

Dan takes the money, even as tears gather in his eyes. Arin brings him in for a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Unable to take it, Dan grabs Arin by the face and kisses him full on the lips, only letting go to do the same to Suzy. "You guys are too good for me."

"Don't say that," Arin says, only a little thrown from the kiss. "We just... We love you, that's all."

It's the first tearful goodbye that Dan can recall having in a long time. Arin and Suzy drive him down the mountain, dropping him off at a truck stop at his request. As he gets out, with his guitar and his bag, and Arin and Suzy leave with a lot of honking and tearful waves goodbye, Dan feels something that he hasn't felt since he was a kid.

That he's leaving something important behind. That's walking away from something, instead of toward something. He's still aching for the open road, to fly free, but now...

Now, he has somewhere to come back to. He has a home, a family. He belongs somewhere.

He's loved.

**Author's Note:**

> This probably isn't very good, but I was freaking out about my first day at my new job and I was desperate for a distraction. So I wrote most of this, and finished it after getting home.
> 
> I love egoflapbang. Like holy shit. Maybe someday I'll follow up on this with more actual 'relationship' cuteness


End file.
